Militant says Australian jihadist Caner Temel was shot in head by rebel sniper after Syria siege

A young Australian who died in Syria was shot in the head by a rebel sniper after a long siege, a member of an Al Qaeda-linked militant group has told the ABC.

Caner Temel, 22, lived in Sydney's west before travelling to Syria, where he was killed last week.

A member of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), which is listed as a terrorist group by Australia, has now given the ABC the first detailed account of how Temel died.

The ISIS member, using the nom de guerre Abu Hafs, said Temel was shot by a less extreme rebel group as he and a small band of fellow jihadists tried to escape a 10-day siege on the outskirts of the town of Sareqeb, south of Aleppo and east of Idlib.

He says Temel's Arabic was not great so his comrades spent time teaching him and, like many foreigners whose Arabic is thought lacking, he did a lot of guard duty.

Abu Hafs says Temel, also known as Abu Moussa, attended many lessons in Islamic thought, as well as lots of weapons training.

"Abu Moussa was living a good life in Australia. He had everything he needed back there but he said, 'I honestly never felt as comfortable as I feel here in Syria despite all the fighting'," Abu Hafs said.

He says Temel combined a thirst for religious education with a willingness to die in the name of God.

"Some people like getting trained to fight but are they willing to sacrifice their lives? Some are diligent about religion and some just want to fight in these wars and become a martyr," he said.

Abu Hafs says Temel joined an Al Qaeda-linked group called Jabhat al-Nusra.

After proving himself in battle he moved on to join ISIS – the most hardcore Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria.

But less extreme groups have turned against ISIS and Abu Hafs says Temel was a victim of that fighting.

Some in the town pledged to stay neutral because they did not believe in Muslims killing Muslims.

Body was burned near the site of the battle

But Abu Hafs says last week they betrayed the ISIS men and turned on them.

After a fierce battle against overwhelming odds Temel and his fellow fighters tried to escape.

"They had barricaded themselves inside. They clashed for over 10 days against more than 100 men who had tanks and artillery," Abu Hafs said.

They clashed for over 10 days against more than 100 men who had tanks and artillery. But on the last day before they withdrew, in the early morning a sniper shot him in the head.

Abu Hafs

"But on the last day before they withdrew, in the early morning a sniper shot him in the head."

Temel's body was buried near the scene of the battle.

Abu Hafs says Temel was drawn to Syria to defend Muslims against the government of Bashar al-Assad, and that he was answering the call of a holy duty.

It is an obligation that has been used by extremists in the past to attack Western governments.

They have argued the West suppresses Muslims in countries like Australia and attacks them in Iraq and Afghanistan.

That is one reason Australian counter-terrorism officials are worried about what could happen when the Australian jihadists return home.